A tale of two dads

With today being Father's Day, I have found myself a bit reflective. Even while Pastor was teaching today, my mind wandered a bit to those men in my life that he was describing. Don't get me wrong, I heard the sermon. But let me reflect for just a bit tonight. 

Back in 1976, there was a man that wanted to be a father, although his wife really wasn't ready for kids just yet. Well, surprise! We're having a baby. First month, second month go by and the guy grows a little more "trapped" by the day. By month three, he has determined that the pregnancy was just a way to keep him from getting what he wanted. By month four? He was out the door. He wanted his freedom and to not be tired down. By the time the kids were born, he had moved on. By one year old, the divorce was final and he moved on with his life, literally. He moved to a new state with his new wife where they began a family of their own, leaving the two little girls behind and never looking back.

Now enter man number 2. Younger than man one and by all worldly standards, primed to be out sowing his wild oats. Instead he worked hard and found the eye of that now single mom. I'm not real clear on when they started to 'date', but I sure remember every time he was coming to the house to see Mom. He knew she had two little girls yet that never scared him away. He came to see us as much a he can't to see her. He brought us dollars, earning him the nickname "Daddy George Washington". Playing and wrestling with us, doing anything he could for us, being there when we needed him. Then in 1981 they finally married. No, he never adopted us to give us his name. That wasn't necessary because he gave us everything else. We weren't "Becky's girls", we were their girls. 

There are men in the church I attend that have similar stories. Details may be different but the result is the same. One man stepped up when the other stepped out. Did any of them have to? Absolutely not. However this is an example of the addage of WWJD, (what would Jesus do). Jesus asked us to care for widows and orphans. While the situations I described was not due to the death of the spouse, the sentiment holds true. These men stepped in to love, care for and support the woman and the children. 

There is a song that Brad Paisley sings that says, "And then, all of a sudden, oh it seemed so strange to me, how we went from something's missing to a family. Looking back, all I can say about all the things he did for me is, I hope I'm at least half the dad that he didn't have to be." So for all the men that stepped up to be that dad, thank you for being the dad that you didn't have to be. 

Happy Father's Day 


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